One of the top UK government officials in Dubai has welcomed De Montfort University Leicester’s plans to open a new campus in the country later this year.
Simon Penney, the UK’s Consul General for Dubai and the northern emirates, said he was pleased DMU would offer academic excellence from DMU Dubai, the university’s new branch campus, set to open in Dubai Academic International City in September.
As Consul General, Penney leads the government’s work promoting UK economic, commercial, political and consular interests in Dubai and the northern emirates.
Along with recognising the new campus, Penney also acknowledged DMU’s upcoming role at Expo 2020, being held over six months in Dubai from this October.
The UK pavilion at Expo 2020 is being operated by the government’s Department of International Trade (DIT) and DMU is working closely with the team as one of the pavilion’s only official founding partners.
Over the many weeks of the festival, DMU will exhibit much of its leading research in areas such as sustainable fashion, smart reuse of waste plastics and creative applications for artificial intelligence.
“The international reputation of UK education is second to none, so I am delighted to hear that De Montfort University in Leicester is offering its academic excellence from a new campus in Dubai,” said Penney.
“This also coincides with De Montfort University’s participation in Expo 2020 in Dubai, where it will share its research and creativity on a global stage, showcasing the innovation of UK universities and underlining the importance of education in creating a sustainable future.”
DMU Dubai Campus
The new DMU Dubai branch will offer students a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses including cybersecurity, psychology, and accounting and finance.
It is the university’s first major international campus branch for many years and the opening of the campus, in September, will come only a month before DMU begins an intense programme of work at Expo 2020.
Dr Vidhya Vinod, CEO of Study World Higher Education Services, the academic services provider for DMU Dubai, highlighted that the campus is purpose-built, with multiple classrooms, a 700-seater auditorium, library, IT and engineering, along with fashion and design studios, on-campus student residences, gymnasium and indoor and outdoor sports facilities. “Study World has over two decades of experience in providing a range of educational services in partnership with international universities worldwide and this association with De Montfort University in Dubai will prove highly beneficial for students in the UAE and the wider region," she said. "Our international network will help attract students from over 120 countries and we look forward to providing high-quality, employment-focused degrees to students.”
DMU at Expo 2020
Simon Bradbury, Pro Vice-Chancellor International and Dean of Arts, Design and Humanities at DMU, said the new campus and DMU’s role at Expo would allow DMU to establish a reputation in the UAE and bring its teaching and research to a new audience.
“We have students from all over the world on our Leicester campus and that diversity is one of our key strengths,” he said.
“This new campus in Dubai is an extension of that global dimension and a way for us to bring the teaching and values we are proud of to a new audience. It allows us to establish a presence in one of the world’s key economic centres, opening up a lot of opportunities for our students.
“We have been working closely with DIT in the UK and Dubai as well as the Great Campaign to deliver our ambitious plans for the UAE.
“Our role at Expo will give us an opportunity to engage with a global audience, to share our research and expertise and connect to organisations who share our values. It is a real chance to build on our international profile and successfully establish the new Dubai campus.”
For more information, visit Dmu.ac.uk/dubai
